by Susan Thomas
Later, as he dressed, she examined her bottom in the mirror. "Bloody hell, Miles, look at the state of my bum – it's beetroot red for pity's sake, it hasn't looked anything like that since my Bill used to get to work."
"Did he spank you then?"
"Nah not him, he used to make me bend over the bed, then he leathered my bum until it was hard to sit down for several days, and then he made me stay in position while he shagged me from behind. What with his belt and then his body smacking up against it..." She tailed off shaking her head. "Still I do miss him. Stupid bugger fell off the roof trying to repair a tile after being out at the Swan and Feathers all night."
It was three in the morning before Miles made his way back wearily to his cottage. When he reached the top of the stairs, he noticed the little bedroom door was open, but he had definitely left it shut. He walked down and peered in - there on the floor with the moonlight shining on her was the girl. She was in a nightdress with a dressing gown over the top and a pair of woolly socks on her feet; she was curled up fast asleep, her arms wrapped around a teddy bear.
He spoke but she didn't wake, so Miles stooped down and very gently picked both her and her bear up in his arms - she stirred slightly but didn't wake. He carried her into his bedroom where he put her into the bed and covered her up. She began to stir a little so he softly stroked her hair and whispered to go back to sleep. She gave a contented little sigh and snuggled down and was soon off. Miles stood looking down at the sleeping child and felt very emotional. He had never wanted children but now, looking down at this girl sleeping so peacefully in his bed, he became possessed of a fierce desire to protect and care for her. Taking a blanket, he went downstairs to the armchair, covered himself and dropped off to sleep.
He was woken by the light of day shining in his face and to find the girl staring down at him.
"Thank you," she said quietly.
"You're welcome, perhaps you'll hang around long enough one day to tell me who you are and what you are doing. Won't somebody be missing you?"
"Not until seven, she snores like the pig she is until then, so I have time to get back."
"Your socks will get wet with the dew."
"Wellington boots by the back door. Thanks again, my name is Sophie by the way."
With that she was gone and Miles found he had a wistful smile on his face.
After breakfast, Annie arrived to report on her trip round the farms collecting orders. With a shy smile she presented him with a cake she had made especially for him. As luck would have it, coffee and walnut was his favourite cake and he gushed gratitude but was also wary, she was seeking a husband which might well explain the cake and, come to think of it, Marigold's underwear.
He checked over her work and it was perfect and he told her so; she glowed with pleasure. Miles did wonder about asking about Sophie but he was worried that somehow it might get the girl in trouble, so he held his tongue. An unpunished Annie walked part of the way with him for he had to see Constable Butterfield to receive the complaints to be taken to the village court.
"Good morning, Mr LaPage, I hope you is settling in well, sir."
"Yes, thank-you, I had to spank Marigold yesterday, she just hadn't done her work but apart from that all is going well."
The Constable smiled. "I heard about Marigold, her dad told me. She went over his knee at bed time and he gave her bottom a good spanking too. Has a hard hand does her dad so I bet she ain't sitting easy today after you two gave her what for. She's a good girl though and a man could do worse..."
Miles quickly changed the subject and managed to get Butterfield's report. There were four cases for the court. The first was nineteen-year-old Mary Preston - it seemed Mary was jealous of Susie, the girl next door, who she claimed was coming between her and her boyfriend. She had suddenly lost her temper on seeing Susie smirk. In the resulting assault, Susie had ended up with a badly scratched face, a torn blouse and a black eye. Then there was another drunk and disorderly but he hadn't punched anyone, just made a lot of noise and fuss. Finally, and unbelievably for Miles, the two women he had seen caned when he first arrived at the village. They had been at it again and there had been a great many complaints about them.
Having written them all up in the court book, Miles went and prepared for the evening's court session, then he made a quick visit to the Old Bell, where he had a whispered conversation with Millie, who looked mystified but nodded her agreement. Then he went to see his next door neighbour who had a decorating business as well as fingers in other pies. He borrowed his hand cart and a tarpaulin and walked to Millie's cottage where he took some items, covered them with the tarpaulin and took them back to his place.
The village court began to assemble and Miles realised that for many this was a major social event. At the court they could buy craft goods and foods such as jam and chutney or catch up with friends, and of course watch the accused squirming on the block as a cane or birch was applied to their bare bottom.
The first up was Mary Preston but she turned out not to be a straightforward case. Yes, she had assaulted Susie in the way described but several neighbours bore testimony that Susie Bolton had more than provoked her with taunts, faces and lewd comments about Mary's boyfriend. The boyfriend, a spotty shy looking lad, testified he had nothing to do with Susie and that she kept making stuff up. The three magistrates (because Miles decided that was effectively what they were) put their heads together and then called for Susie Bolton. Miles was hard put to it to keep up with all the note taking. Finally, he was ordered to write down that Susie Bolton was charged with harassment and disturbing the peace. The sentence was then passed - Mary Preston was to receive four strokes of the cane for her assault and a morning in the pillory, and Susie Bolton the same.
Unfortunately, Susie Bolton hadn't the good sense to shut up and accept the sentence and shouted out that it wasn't fair and it was all the fault of, "That bitch." For that outbreak and language her sentence was increased to eight strokes and both girls were led away crying, to be stripped below the waist and then made to wait on the bench.
Tom Matthews was apologetic to the court and admitted he had been drunk and noisy. As he hadn't done anything to anyone but had just been a nuisance, he was awarded a simple morning in the pillory. That meant of course that his bottom would be well and truly spanked by many, if not all, adults in the village, but it was just about the least anyone could expect from the court.
Then it was the turn of the two women whose constant scrapping caused much distress to the villagers. Since their caning and hour in the pillory, the two women had taken to spitting on each other's doors and smearing dog excrement on the other's front doorstep. The sentence was six strokes of the cane and a whole morning in the pillory.
When all decisions (others were merely disputes about land or fences) were made it was time for the punishments. Susie was to be first and Miles was fascinated by her. She was tall and had a beautiful figure but carried herself with an arrogance that was offensive in itself. She didn't seem in the least embarrassed by being half-naked in front of an audience but rather seemed to delight in the effect she was having on the men.
She was restrained over the bench, a bailiff selected a cane which looked nasty to Miles, and he then took position. Everyone went still and quiet.
The bailiff stepped back and with a little run brought the cane whistling down onto the girl's bottom. The resulting crack was vicious and Susie's head jerked up and she screamed out, "Aaaah" and panted loudly afterwards. Clearly the cane was more painful than she had bargained for.
The count of one came loud and clear and the bailiff ran up for stroke number two. Susie's head shot up again but her scream this time was far longer and rose higher as it came. Miles wondered why the hell she had provoked so much trouble if she found the cane so painful. The third had her throwing her head around, and just for a moment Miles wondered if she was acting, but he could see both face and bottom from his side position on the stage and her face
was that of someone finding her caning intensely painful.
Miles had been caned for research purposes but never like this and he knew he would not find such a caning easy to take. Each stroke was biting deeply into the luscious bottom and, as it sprang back out, was leaving a tidal wave that showed just how much force was being applied to her punishment. The fourth stroke saw Susie reacting badly - she butted her head hard against the frame holding her and Miles wondered if she was trying to knock herself out. The second bailiff walked over and held her head for the fifth and kept holding it as she screamed loudly and fought against her bounds.
The nasty red welts appeared after each stroke but seemed to keep rising and getting darker, even as new welts began to join them. If the stupid girl had only kept her mouth shut she could have got off with four. Each stroke now seemed to aggravate the existing welts and violent blue marks developed where overlaps occurred. There were several points where the red looked as if her skin was dangerously close to breaking. The last was the most powerful stroke of all, as if the bailiff was fed up with her and was giving her extra just from him. Susie sobbed all the time, she was undone and then it was Mary Preston's turn.
Mary was so white Miles wondered if she would faint - her lips were bloodless and her jaw clamped tight with tension, but she walked to the bench with a straight back and took her position on it without any sign of protest. When the restraints were put in place, the caning began. It was as vicious as that given to Susie but Mary took her four much better than Susie did her first four - each stroke drew a groan from her but it was quickly suppressed and at the end she stood and walked away with her back still straight.
The two women who seemed unable to stop their feud both took their canings badly, though each seemed contemptuous of the other. Their large bottoms wobbled hugely as each stroke landed and those watching seemed pleased at the screams and cries. Where they had merely been silent for Susie and Mary's punishments, these two attracted jeers, cheers and calls such as, "Let her have it good and hard," or similar. Clearly the village was exasperated with them, but Miles wondered what would happen if they continued their feud.
Of course the punishments weren't over. In the morning there would be the pillory for all five and each would get hard smacks from virtually every able-bodied adult in the village, plus the humiliation of appearing half-naked and restrained all morning.
Miles was weary by the time he had written up all the various decisions of the court, for of course there were others not resulting in corporal punishment. He got back to his cottage and poured himself a drink before resting in the armchair with the lights off. It was gone eleven, which by village standards was very late and he was about to turn in when he heard a sound outside and the handle on the back door began to turn.
---oOo---
It was the girl again, sneaking in through the back door, hoping no doubt that the absence of light meant he was out or asleep.
"Hello, Sophie."
She jumped, giving a little cry of alarm and then realised who it was as he put on the lights.
"I only want to sleep in the little room. I'm not doing any harm."
"I already guessed that, and I see you're in a nightdress under that dressing gown so presumably you have already been in bed. I guess that 'she who snores like a pig' is now asleep and you have crept out. Am I right?"
"Yes, I just want to be in the little room."
"OK, but in the morning I want an explanation. Is that fair?"
"OK."
He led her upstairs and he opened the door to the little room. She gasped in surprise for there in the room was a small folding bed he had borrowed from Millie, already made up with bedding he had also borrowed from her. He had transported it all on the handcart borrowed from the decorator.
"I'm not having you sleep on the floor. At your age you need all the sleep you can get. You're a growing girl. Sleep tight."
He was a little embarrassed but also pleased when she suddenly hugged him hard and thanked him. The next morning his alarm woke him at six and he went to the small room. She looked sweet and innocent to him as she lay curled around her bear in the bed he had provided but he had to be tough and get answers, this couldn't go on.
He woke her and then blocked the door, holding it tight so she couldn't wriggle past. "OK, Sophie, what is going on? Why do you want to sleep in here? Why are you always in my cottage without a by your leave? Who is 'she who snores like a pig'?"
"This is my room," she replied. "The furniture is all gone, she wouldn't let me keep any of it or any of my stuff except for my clothes and this teddy bear. Nothing, not a thing, not even a photograph. She got rid of it all." Here she paused and looked rather sly. "Well, she thought she had."
"That tells me nothing. Who is she? Why is this your room?"
"This is where I lived."
"But this was the village secretary's cottage, that's why they gave it to me."
"Yes, and she was my mum, but she died and they said I had to go and live with her and she wants me to forget I ever had a mother and everything about her."
"Who is this strange person who snores like a pig and got rid of all your stuff?" Miles sounded irritated because getting answers from this girl was like pulling teeth.
"Madge Pendle."
"What, the fat woman who runs the dairy?"
Sophie giggled. "Yes, she is fat isn't she? Do you know she drinks a pint of cream every day, never mind anything else. She wanted me because she doesn't have any children of her own and she wants me to help her run the diary as I get older."
Miles tried to be balanced. Clearly Sophie resented Madge but she couldn't live on her own and running the dairy was a good occupation in this village. Maybe she was a bit hard about the memorabilia of Sophie's mum but it might be mistaken kindness thinking the girl had best put the past behind her. "Well running the dairy is a good occupation and maybe she doesn't want you dwelling on the past, and so is a bit hard."
Sophie shocked him by suddenly turning and pulling her night dress right up high. "This is what I get if I mention my mum."
The back of her thighs, her bottom and her back were covered in a network of nasty red welts clearly made by something fairly thin and flexible. It was all very angry and unpleasant looking.
Miles was shocked when the girl lifted her nightdress but stunned by the state of her body. "Dear God!" he cried.
"She beats me often, for anything. If she knew I was here she would beat me until I bled, she has done it before you came along. I hate her."
"OK, Sophie, I see your point and you want to sleep in here to feel close to your old life is that right?"
Sophie started to leak tears. "Yes."
"Well you'd better be gone before she wakes up and finds you're not there. I'll see what I can do about your situation."
"If I can get away can I sleep in here?"
Miles was worried by this whole situation but after all, Sophie had been doing it anyway so until he could find out more she might as well continue, though he sensed there was trouble ahead. "Yes, OK, but be careful. I'll try and find out what I can."
Miles had breakfast and dressed quickly for of course today there were five people in the pillory and he and Constable Butterfield had to be there in their official capacities, along with the bailiffs. There was great excitement at the pillories and Miles soon picked up the sentiment of the village. Tom Matthews was going to get an easy ride of it as he was a friendly soul who had simply got drunk and was noisy - in fact there was a fair bit of criticism floating around of Miss Smithy for reporting him. Miles remembered Miss Smithy had been behind the canings he had witnessed when he first arrived. The two fat feuding women were going to get it hard because the whole village was sick of it, in fact there was some heated talk about giving them a proper flogging with the cat o' nine tails. Susie was also going to get it good and hard because she was generally blamed for causing all the trouble, while Mary Preston was going to get an easy ride. Miles supposed t
here was a sort of crude justice in it all - Mary had assaulted Susie but under provocation and had her four strokes, while Susie who had started it all was unrepentant.
The bailiffs ensured that all those for the pillory were there and saw to it that they stripped off all clothes below the waist, tucking any shirt tails or blouses out of the way to give unrestricted access to the bottom. It astonished Miles that everybody seemed quite unconcerned about making women undress like that in public. Soon all five were in a pillory, there being twelve in all under a wooden construction with a tiled roof that was open on all four sides. It was odd looking, being quite tall, presumably so everybody had an unobstructed view. Miles wondered if all twelve were ever used.
Constable Butterfield signalled proceedings might begin and people began to line up to give their smack to those in the pillories. Miles knew he was going to have to do the same as it was expected; he was a muscular man and played a lot of squash and tennis so he could certainly give a good smack if he chose. However, he began with Tom and gave the man a very light smack that would hardly have rattled a child, especially in this village. Then he moved on to Mary and though she had a most delightful bottom which he would love to have had across his knee, he also gave her a light smack. He could hear and feel the crowd's approval.
When it came to the two feuding women, though, he changed tack. He stepped right back, gave a little run and smacked his hand down on the first one's bottom with considerable force. The crack resounded even over the noise of the crowd. The woman cried out and there was a huge cheer. It was like smacking a large jelly, the wobble on her bottom after he had smacked was almost comical. It was easy to see that she was in for a bad time as she had only received a few smacks and already her bottom was scarlet with the swelling of the livid welts of her caning only just going down. He gave the second the same treatment with much the same result and could feel the approval of the crowd egging him on to Susie.
